This video is a treasure. I was skeptical at first because like everyone else, but holy cow, this video is unreal in the amount of information you get. This should be required for anyone to watch before buying a driver.
I have had this same conversation about running shoes with people. The more expensive the shoe, the more bells and whistles it has: more material on the sole or last, more motion control, adjustable inserts, cushioning, traction design, breathability, reflective surfaces. The thing is, you may or may not need any of those features and the best shoe for you is the one that is the most comfortable and that bends naturally the same way your foot bends...typically, the "less" the shoe the better it is for you. Thanks for the video, good information.
Clay, one more follow up to distance with drivers. After my lesson today at the PGA Tour Superstore near my home in Atlanta I went back to the practice bays to practice what I had learned. They are close to the used club racks. So I always pull two or three drivers to try. I was surprised to find the TaylorMade R9 460 sitting in the rack. After looking at it I realized it was the one I traded in several months ago when I bought my Cobra King F6 driver. I pulled it and a couple of Callaway Big Berthas and a used Taylormade M1 to hit. Normally, my F6 is consistently the longest but in the last week I have hit a Big Bertha V Series which is longer. I hit several balls with all the drivers and the R9 was right with them. In fact I hit my longest drive of the day with it. I was a little chagrined that I have been searching for distance with new drivers and I had a driver that I could hit long already. I just had to improve my ball striking through lessons and practice. I bought the club back for $74.99. Lesson Learned!
Dear Clay Ballard - I'm a retired teaching golf professional and I've been preaching the exact same thing you have said in this video. I have shown my students all my drivers, all of which are Orlimar tri-metal or Hip-Ti made in the mid 90's. I have not found anything BETTER in 25 years. The only thing that has changed is I upgrade the shaft. One more aspect you didn't touch on that is very important is that when you set the driver to the ball, the head must be visually pleasing. If the shape looks weird (like the elongated heads), then you won't have confidence to hit the ball well. The other thing is get the right grip size. I have used midsize tour wraps since the mid eighties, or four wraps on a regular grip. One last aspect to hitting the ball longer is "hit solid shots in the sweet spot." (Lee Trevino) Excellent video Clay!
Probably the most honest golf review on TH-cam! Just bought a Wilson D300 driver from eBay for £73 (mint condition) after using the 3 Hybrid and D300 3 wood all with light shafts. I also bought an Adams Speedline driver (like driving with a canon) for £35 never been used , 4 years old unwanted gift ........... Clay you are so right, don’t waste you £’s and $’s ....... be resourceful, look around and stick with what you feeling comfortable with !!
I use to sell golf equipment for many years and used the same approach as you explained in this video. Sometimes I actually lost the sale, but always gained the trust of my customers, and they always returned with their friends and family for their golf needs. I love your videos. Great job sir. Cheers from Canada.
I bought a newer Taylormade driver a few years ago, and couldn't hit it as consistently or as long as the old Taylormade Burner I had used for many years. Within the past few years I purchased two more of the old used Burner drivers (from Global Golf). I use one in my Florida golf bag and one in my Connecticut golf bag, whenever I visit my family and friends. No noticeable drop off in my swing or game with either driver. But it saved me a ton of money, and I still outdrive people who are constantly updating their drivers to try to improve their swing. So your advice confirms what I learned by accident. Bottom line is, different strokes (and clubs) work best for different folks. But it is not always about the money spent.
Best teacher on earth. You never see a teacher to day telling the truth about equipment. The reason I love my Hogan Apex II's are they work perfectly for me. They are not as long as some of my other clubs but are consistent so therefore I play a much better game. P;ay what fits your swing. I say.
Hi Maurice, thank you so much for the kind words. I'll be sure to pass that along to Clay. I have hit some Hogan clubs in the past and always liked the way they felt. Play well ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Well said Maurice. And Hogans do play a club shorter. I have an old set of Edges that I love, but I give up that feel to hit modern irons longer. Never let outside opinions contradict what you know to be true in golf or otherwise. Cheers!
This was a very enlightening video. My driver finally caved in and I was wondering what to buy. I found your video at the right time. The Golf God must be smiling upon me.
I have played golf for years I now still play of 14 at 66 years old, and I must admit watching some of your videos has given me more insight to my game and clubs than I have ever found out before much appreciated
I spent all last summer at the three giant golf stores in Orlando, golf galaxy, pga superstore and Edwin watts, looking for the longest driver I could find ,after 10 different drivers I found a new (old stock) Callaway X2. Now I’m clobbering drives almost 300 yds straight as a arrow, no hooks or slices. I’m thrilled. Best thing it was only $65, and I’m scoring in the high 70’s now. If I could only putt. Drive for show putt for dough. I won’t be in the money anytime soon. On the greens on par 5s usually in 2, then 4 putt the green. What a freakin hard game
Your damn right Clay, I've had a G5 driver forever and recently changed to the G400 driver and hit it no farther. My son uses the i15 driver and won't use anything else
Just getting back into golf after 10 years and have been thinking of new clubs. Thanks for the up front information on drivers. Something I always thought but now confirmed. When I used to play, and they're still in my bag my driver was a $100 knockoff Taylor Made R4 I think and Ben Hogan blades but I always out drove and scored better than my buddies and half the club in local tournaments lol. This will help lots for 2021. Club fitting in the future. Thanks 👍🇨🇦🇺🇸
I use a MacGregor v-foil, about 350cc driver with an 8 degree loft that I've had for 20 years and I will go up against any new club. but let's remember that club head speed and swing speed are not the same thing. If you do it right, you don't have to swing hard to generator very fast club head speed. I really like this video!
Yeah, if you can afford it and it's very expensive, it's going to perform very well because of placebo. If you can't afford it, it's not, because you don't want to spend your money!
Clay, I was hitting a Titleist 913 d2 (now 2 generations old) and it was going as far as my new driver. Great video! I have hit dozens of drivers at different golf shops (mostly at PGA Tour Superstore or Golfsmith) and for the most part they all go virtually the same distance. For me I find certain drivers I can get the club through the ball quicker and make more consistent contact.
I went to a seminar years ago about golf. They added; if you hit a demo driver great; take it and stow it in your car, then go in and pay for it. The one you buy that comes in the wrapping will NOT hit like the one your tried/demode.
Clay, Thank you for sharing this very helpful advice regarding finding and identifying the right golf clubs for you! Expensive doesn't always equal better!!!
I just went through this process of finding the best driver. In the end it turned out that the driver I had in the bag once again felt the best...result hit it best. It's an inexpensive Callaway RAZR 10.5 50G shaft. r-flex. I have Ping irons so I might stack the G400 against it and see if I find any difference, I do like Ping. This video is a eye opening comment on the golf industry and how they sell clubs.
Thanks Clay. I have to concur and I’ve only just become knowledgeable on this. I bought a new set of clubs 2 years ago and part of the “marketing” was that I would be custom fitted. They apparently adjusted the lie angle of each club and shaft lengths to suit. Anyway, 2 years on, I decided to take them to a local club fitter who has been doing this for 40 years. He spine adjusted and Flat Line Oscillated my shafts and set swing weights at D2 for 4-9 and wedges at D4. I played last week and the difference was amazing. The “feel” is what has changed for me and my contact has been the best I’ve had in years. Placebo effect? No way. However, I did learn more. Part of this process was adjusting the lie angles, and luckily for me, that didn’t need doing and when they were examined, it was noted the specifications for my clubs were the same as standard for this manufacturer despite my more upright stance. Turns out the 4-7 irons are 17-4 stainless steel and 8-SW are 431. 17-4 is difficult to bend so it’s very, VERY, likely they were never custom fitted for me at all in the first place. So just BS marketing. My advice to anyone when you buy a new set is check what the stainless steel is and then spend a few more dollars and take them to a good club fitter and have them “properly” fitted; certainly don’t get conned by the sales and marketing at a golf shop. Ping make their irons from 17-4 SS, but they have different coloured dots to indicate the various lie angles of the clubs. No bending required. A lot to learn but it’s worth it. Cheers.
My 20 year old KZG driver hits the ball just as far as my buddies Ping and Titleist. As a matter of fact, I hit all 3 during a round on the same hole and they all landed damn near the same distance. It was unreal. The KZG has a small club head as well.
Hi Dave, if you're driver is 20 years old then there is likely an advantage to getting something newer. Pretty much any driver made in the last 15 years is maxed out. You may have a little more club head speed then your buddies. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
He is totally right. No debate about it. Fun to play with different toys, but they do basically do the same. Use the same shaft and loft and try different Titleist drivers. I have tried this. Same same.
Clay, this is great. I never buy the latest and greatest. I like my ping G10driver. Still goes 280yds. I caved in and purchased a Ping G400 LST used driver for $180. Goes far, and straight. Same with irons.
Thanks! Best driver shaft length for me (5'7"tall) is 1 inch shorter than standard length. If I do not shorten my clubs the toe of the head will be higher off the ground than the heel! All I want to do is hit the ball straight and be on the green with my second shot for par 4s and 5s.
+Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard I agree. Very easy to follow along . I am Just starting to get into playing golf. You guys would laugh at my clubs. $20 garage sale ,, with a Michelob bag. Lol.
Yes...I would laugh at those clubs. A good set, not a great set, but just kinda good is worth having and with today's used prices you can get a decent set for 100 dollars, but at least your playing the game and can get a good feel if you like it or not. Welcome to the game by the way and I hope 50 years from now you still be a fan.
I believe this. Right before a winter golf vacation south, I bought an expensive Japanese driver that just didn't do the job on the course. When the ball come off the face it felt like hitting a clump of mud. I was upset for wasting my money so a guy in our 35 man group handed me an extra bargain barrel driver to play with. I immediately started pounding the ball longer than anyone in our vacationing group. My drives became the talk of the group. Since then I don't even bother picking a club by price or advertisement. I have to hit it first.
Excellent. I have a 9 year old driver that works well for me. I take it in every year and compare it on the meters with new stuff. No change... except in the price.
I wish i had watched this in 2017. I had a cleveland sr290, decided i should have a talk to a local pro who convinced me to buy his wilson d300. 2 years later after lessons, im back to the sr290. My average drive was 180m now im bombing out to 245m (not everytime mind). The lessons made the difference not the club.
Yeah, Ping makes really good stuff. I like how they won't come out with a new club unless it outperforms the last model. I don't think anyone else does that. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Played a department store driver for years and was very happy with it. Bought a Callaway Steel Head to replace it. First name brand club I owned. Cracked the face two months in to owning it. They replaced it with a different club. Was not happy with it.
Hi Larry, thanks for sharing. Sorry you had a bad experience. Not sure how long ago that was but those are very old clubs to this point. The older the club, the more likely it is to fail. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
The best lesson I had in choice of club happened when the head came off my driver. A friend was going to America and he brought me back a new driver shaft and he cut 1 1/2 inches off my old shaft. He put the new shaft on my driver and my old, shortened, shaft on my 5 wood. From that day on I could hit my 5 wood 10 to 20 yards further than the driver. Everyone has their own swing. My clubs were stolen a couple of years later but I truly regret not getting a set made around that 5 wood.
I also have played my ping i15 for 6 years bought it new and did not see a reason to change, but then I tried the Titleist D4 and my dispersion has improved and I shot my lowest round in years all due to ball striking. I'll keep you all posted if the honeymoon ends.
Follow up on my driver change: the Titleist D4 continue to perform better then my ping i15 by quite a margin, my handicap dropped to my lowest in many many years, I did pick up some distance but most importantly I found many more fairways this season allowing me to go pin hunting more often during my rounds. Furthermore my putting stats for this season remain constant to my last ten years so it was clear more fairway lower my scores.
Thats awesome man. Are you still playing the same driver? I just got serious about golf earlier this year and used Clays Videos to literally build a golf swing from the ground up. I updated all my equipment also. I know it sounds crazy (im sure the swing has more to do with it) but i couldnt hit my old RBZ stage 1 driver to save my life so i bought a 2017 M2. The biggest reason is most of my miss hits were off the heel and the M2 seemed to have a larger face. Now i rarely miss hit it off the heel. I had the best round of my life last weekend by FAR. I found the fairways and was able to really feel like i was in control of my game for the first time in my life. Ive learned so much from TSG its crazy!
One time recently I was comparing a cheap driver to a more expensive one and kept going back and forth hitting 5 balls with each one. Towards the end of the test I decided I like the more expensive one better, but to my surprise, I had them "backwards". I actually preferred the cheaper one (which I thought was the more expensive one). I might go back and see if I can hit a 46" (3.5m) or even a 48" (4 ft) driver just for fun. Also, amateurs can get a driver with a "hotter" face such as 0.87 COR. It might help put a little more fun in the game for them, especially if they have a slow swing speed.
Hi David, thanks for sharing. Yeah, I say play as long of a driver as you can control. You have to have some higher club head speed to use the longer ones in my experience. Sure, you can shave down the face to get more distance. I have seen services that do that. You won't be able to play in any tournaments where you have to abide by the rules. Your club will also be more likely to break. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I realize this clip is 7 years old, but I work in a big golf store in Toronto and I have spew what clay just said about 10 times a day...lol. As mentioned, this clip is 7 years old but it still holds up to the current times. Just like clay said, the one thing that has gotten better is if you miss the sweet spot, the clubs have gotten better at letting you get to that .83 COR but other then that, the manufactures will continue great ways to market stuff but the club heads are capped for the most part when it comes to distance.
I agree with the feel of the club bit, I tried the new Titleist, both driver and irons and struggled with the feel of the swing and impact. Same with the new Taylormade, I ended up with a used XXIO driver 45g shaft and new set of Srixon Z785 irons, both feel great, and yes I did get more distance out of the used XXIO.
Thanks Clay for your insight into the driver differences. Also enjoy your videos and teachings in your Top Speed Golf program. You are one of the few instructors that I can take what you say and show to the range and course, then make improvements in my game. Thanks.
I always thought that all the DRIVERS regardless of brand are built the same. I guess...I was right!! This is why I still have the same Driver from 10 years ago and it's still performs flawlessly.
Hi, that's actually not true. They are all built differently but are maxed as far as how hot the center of the face is. The CG is moved around on drivers to improve spin numbers. They also try to increase the MOI to make the driver more forgiving across the face. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Tip: a driving range is to grove your swing. Use your OLD set to practice. Save the faces and grips for the course. Do you really want to beat up you're driver's titanium face on range rocks?
excellent point about max COR. Max COR was achieved more than ten years ago so if a manufacturer tells you they have the "hottest" driver ever they maybe correct but it will also be illegal . So STOP paying these bandits for equipment that maxed out ten years ago
I went to one of the large, nationwide golf shops about a year ago to get fit for a new driver. I brought my current driver to see how it compared, Taylormade Burner 2.0. They could not find a driver that I hit farther than what I already had. I hit my 3 wood off the tee mostly, 220 yards right down the middle works pretty well from the white tees.
One more comment in support. I have an old Taylor Made Super-Fast Burner driver (about 5yrs old now) with a Proforce 65gm Shaft & hit it anywhere from 250 to 280M (& a couple over 300M). Tried out the new Mizuno JPX900 the other day & barely made 210yards with over 3200rpm spin - hopeless. I believe it's the shaft that has the greater impact on performance than the head by a long way.
Bogie golfers only: play your home course with irons only and see what you shoot. If your 3 iron flies 25 yards longer than your 5 iron, but is always off the fairway, toss it....tee off with the 5. Play the course to your best wedge or 9 iron distance. Great how each round your score drops.
Great info... circa '15. In '17 manufacturers have figured a way for the driver face to pass the legality test when made, but will produce more "spring effect" when hitting a golf gall. Example 1? The Callaway Epic. That club will produce a "smash factor" of greater than 1.5:1 which is the PGA limitation on drivers. (100mph club speed = 150mph ball speed) How? The face is supported by two vertical "rods" behind the club face that will allow the face/crown to deform must enough impact with a real ball to produce a higher impact ball speed. BTW - Golf makers only test a "representative sample" and are allowed a 2% margin of error for legality so some clubs coming off a line are definitely hotter while most are a few percentage points below the edge of legal. Tour guys have clubs tested to be right on the edge of legal. The sticks demo'd at the January PGA Show in Orlando in January are "rumored" to be hand picked, too. If you hit a driver great at a demo day, buy THAT specific club. DO NOT let the rep or local club guy order you one of supposed same "specs". Take the demo home with you when you leave. Well worth your effort.
Consistency of drive is crucial. I agree with you 100%. I would much rather play with my 260 yd drive in the middle 90% of the time than that 300 yder I have to play from the first fringe over half the time. 12 handicapper ....64 yrs old here.
Hi Eddie, thanks for sharing. I think I would take the 40 yards though. I'm going to hit more greens with my PW than I will 5 or 6 iron. Even if the PW shot is from the first fringe. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Right on. I have a garage full of drivers. I’ve been trying to buy a better driver for years. The last two was a $500 Epic and a $400 Mizuno. Both are stored in the garage. Last few months I’ve been using an old Taylormade Burner. No more high dollar drivers for me. Thanks for the video.
G410 was released 2 years ago and there is one in his hand I’m the thumbnail when this was made 5 years ago. Clay Ballard is a time traveller spread the word!
Went from Callaway to Cobra, and have stayed with Cobra for several years now. I've tried (at the pro-shop) all of the top brands, and couldn't launch the balls well enough with any of the drivers until he put the Cobra in my hands. The right fit is important. I'm a woman and hated purchasing pink, purple, lime green, and orange, but the driver I use now is pink..., yet I smash the ball out there, even though it's loft is a whopping 15 degrees. That's too much for most of the ladies, who have asked to try it, but I believe they're also used to teeing up way too high. (at least twice as much as I do) . I keep my ball only about an inch off the ground, ball right off the leading foot, and use the proper lag swing he showed in the video. I haven't been doing that with my irons, and usually come up short on the approach. Thank you, thank you for this video. Can't wait to get out on the range and work on improving my iron shots.
Cool. What about right side lardosis? aka right lateral bend. Or the right elbow on transition from top to downswing, should be first to be in front of chest? This naturally causes more lag. The "tiger squat" also helps in more lag. For more micro details on gaining club head speed, better launch angle, less spin, try reading Kelvin Miyahira's articles. I've gained 75 yards converting micro moves to distance gainers.
I got a full bag fitting minus the putter in 2020 so I am set for the next 10-15 years possibly. Yeah, golf clubs have reached the limit since 2015 unless they change the rules.
While it's true that YOU are one of my favorite golf instructors posting videos. you might want to tell your viewers to MEASURE their swing speed with a driver, BEFORE going to a lighter shaft for more speed. The reason I say this is because a lighter shaft is NOT always going to mean higher swing speeds. When I was fitted for a driver I had a full fitting and the recommended shaft for me was a 75 grams model, heavier than what I was playing at the time. Like a lot of other golfers I had seen the reports that a lighter shaft would mean more speed and more distance with the driver. So I built a new driver with a 55 gram shaft, which is lighter than the 65 gram shaft in my then current driver. When the fitting recommended a 75 grams shaft for my new driver, I was concerned about losing clubhead speed and distance if I went with the heaver 75 grams shaft. So I went out to my car and got both my 55 grams and my 65 grams drivers so I could hit them both on the launch monitor at the fitters shop and compare my swing speeds with the 75 grams shaft driver that the shop assembled for me to try-out. With the 75 grams shaft my swing speed was measured at 105 MPH, which is what I expected going by my own testing with a Swing Speed Radar unit I have. So we measured my swing speed with both the 55 and the 65 grams shaft drivers and got the EXACT same speed, 105 MPH. ZERO lose of speed with the heavier weight shaft. So much for what the big OEM's were saying about the lighter shafts they were installing in all of their off the shelf drivers they were pushing on the average golfers of the day. I have measured other golfers since that day and have had similar results with a lot of golfers. One good golfer who was in his mid 20's and had played college golf actually GARINED speed swinging a heaver shaft driver over his current driver. He went from 110 with a 52 grams shaft in his driver to 113 when he hit my 65 grams shaft driver and then up to a impressive 118 MPH when he hit my 77 grams shaft driver. He gained 8 MPH going from his 52 grams shaft driver to my 78 grams driver. Instead of losing speed, he gained speed. To this day, at 73 years of age, I still play a driver shaft in the 75 grams range. I highly recommend that ALL golfers get measured on a good launch monitor to see what weight shaft is best for them. And do NOT go by FEEL. Go by performance, not feel. The reason I say this is that a a lighter or heavier shaft in a driver WILL feel different and you may or may not like that feel. But if it performed better for you, and you go with that weight shaft, you WILL over a very short period of time, get USED to that feel and then it will feel normal if not better than your old driver shaft. Bottom line is that a lighter shaft does NOT mean more speed and distance for ALL golfers. Get tested on a launch monitor before you decide what is best for YOU.
thank you - nicely explained. i used a nike drive for years - so sad when it finally wore out as i could not find a good used one and the newer models just weren't working for me. finally i found a callaway that somewhat worked and used that for a couple years and then i got caught up in the hype - that was a budget buster - now i am back to an older model club by ping i like and am now trying to find the shaft that works best for me as my swing speed is changing as i age. i have a club fitting appointment soon and am going to try several clubs, and now that the hype doesn't matter to me, i hopefully should be able to walk away with something i can use for years.
Spin. Spin is what costs most golfers distance. Whether its steep impact and back spin. Or face/path side spin. Back/side is a killer, top arguably helps. A power fade for example, is side spin inside out, and top spin. it goes much longer than the exact same numbers and back spin. Because the spin is redirecting the ball down into a boring flight. The number one golf tip I ever received from a pro was: Stop buying spin balls like pro v1's. Play a firmer ball that will have less spin off the flat clubs. My swing speed is still (at 46) just over 120. I still use a firmer ball with less spin. Although of all the prof/spin/touch balls the best in my opinion is the TP5x, but I prefer a cheap firm ball if I am looking at the full round, and not just trying to spin it close. I lost strokes occasionally bouncing off a hard green, but lose very little distance when I hit a steep shot. And I lose far fewer balls off the course to the errant slice. I challenge any of you to use a less spinny ball against your prov1, and mark down the distance left and right and distance between each ball. You will be shocked how much straighter you hit the ball with a firmer, less spin golf ball. You will also lose a few off the back of the green. Until you start playing the front 3rd. The exception is the ultra slow golf swing that needs the back spin to get up in the air. It appears sometime in the recent past a 'distance' ball went from being ultra 'hard' to ultra soft. So the slower swing guys can hit it further. When you drop two golf balls on the same surface, the one with the higher pitch sound is firmer. I played the Pinnacle Straight Distance while doing long drive contests and that ball played amazing off the tee, and mediocre off the fairway and onto greens. But my handicap with that ball was 3 strokes lower. I was about a 5 with a Prov. And about a 1.5 to 2 with a pinnacle. Simply because a prov or TP would go errant due to spin once or twice a round. And at the time money was an issue, so a prov costing $6 a ball vs a pinnacles $80 gave me less anxiety. Test it and lets debate!
Have the same club with the green shaft don't remember the name but was told by serial people it's a very good shaft still drive it 200-230 yards an I am also 73 years old
Excellent, I always enjoy your approach Clay. Your no nonsense approach with candid honesty is exactly what armatures need to really understand how to improve.
From 30 years of playing I would also add that sometimes you need to consider a heavier shaft to stop trying to swing driver too fast - a killer of good golf shots. Also to get right driver set up you need to look at what your bread and butter tee shot looks like eg high fade or low draw. Incidentally I am still using a Burner driver from about 2006 and have wasted my time testing other very expensive clubs to find out they did not hit the ball any further at all - like Clay says its limited by the rules. I would be tempted to add an inch to the shaft length one of these days though!
Hi MJ, all very good points and thank you for sharing. I actually use a heavier shaft because it gives me more control and there really wasn't much difference in club head speed compared to a lighter one. Hope you're playing great! ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Very true , i need a very heavy shaft to have my timing ! The shaft to me is more important than the head , i have a taylormade m3 I bought on discount but i don't like the light shaft , I'll just need to put a hazardus 76 g on it and I'll be good for the years to come 😛
Al true Clay, but I also think ball selection is a key. I spent some time trying different balls and finally settled on a ball that gave me 10-15 + metres to my driver, this was after the tips I got from your videos, still my mates spend far to much and have made no major improvement
Picked up a TaylorMade R15 for $86 on ebay, it's in the bag and plays great, especially when pair with Mizuno balls. Confidence on the tee cannot be bought!
Hi Edward, I believe in love at first sight with the driver. You want to love it on that very first swing. You can always get fitted too. Let me know if you have any further questions. Play well ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Great advice. I play with members who get fitted every few months and never get a shot better...as they don't practice the short game. A TM guy told me the only ways to hit it further is better technique and softer shafts.
Thanks Jean! Glad you liked the video. The best way to hit it further is to increase your club head speed. If you have been fitted for a driver made in the last 12 years then it's already maxed out and you likely won't hit anything else much further. You can certainly pick up some yards by getting a good fitting. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Longer club and more swing speed only happens up to a certain length. If you get too long of club you add weight and its physically harder to swing a club that is long
G'day Clay, I actually had all my clubs shortened 1/4", driver as well. I hit the ball longer & straighter than before. Irons are 4º upright, & driver & 3W set to a upright position or setting, so I'm a very upright player.My hands are also almost on the swing plane. So what's happened. Well I imagine I am making better contact, as I think contact is more important for long straight shots than anything else. Sometimes going longer in the shaft may actually not help your distance, though you pull off a couple of good ones. My driver average was about 280-285m, & now 290-295, & very often over 300m. I use the Titleist 910 driver & 913 3wood, mostly because of the feel & sound I get from these woods. They were not know for their distance, more the sound & feel. I also feel that sound & feel is more important than all the other babel the companies com out with. These Titleist woods always gave me feedback, & told me that my game was off or on. So for me this more important. What can I say, I hate those pingy sounding clubs as well. I also hold the club 1 pinky width below the top of the grip. This is just a good personal feel for me, but it also feels more secure in my hand. I know you point out gripping at the top of the grip will help produce more lag, but I actually find myself producing more lag gripping 1 pinky below the top of the grip, & videos of my swing have shown me this. Maybe my hands are more relaxed & limber as I feel the club is more secure in my hands in this position, maybe it's mental thing that allows me to swing more relaxed, whatever works. I often see my other social golf group players, saying to me i am hitting even longer than before, & now straighter. I actually tell my golfing friends to grip slightly shorter than normal, maybe 5mm below the Doulble line you see on golf grips. I think most of them can't handle these long shafts, & get better control gripping slightly down. I now see them striking the ball better & cleaner. I have gone from a handicap 11 to 7 in less than 3months, & I'm still heading down. I am taking out 450m+ par 5's with a second shot 3 iron, & I'm doing more often. Anyway just some thoughts(or a lot of thoughts, I love the game), & I very much enjoy your vids & info, thanks cheers Craig, Mallorca, Spain
Actually, the inside of a propeller is spinning at the same rate as the outside of the propeller. However, the angular velocity at the outside of the propeller is faster than the inside. Additionally, the longer the club, the slower you will be able to swing it. The distribution of the driver head weight is to maintain the weight but change the Moment of Innertia (MOI) for forgiveness on miss shots.
You're exactly right Emil. Thanks for sharing. Longer club doesn't always mean more club head speed. You have to find that happy medium...a length you can handle and swing fast. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Mr Emil, you have the basic physics backwards. All points on a rotating disc or propeller are spinning at the same angular velocity. Points along a radius line (i.e. propeller blade) of a rotating disc are at different linear velocities.
![[TH] 2024 PMSL SEA Finals D1 | Fall | ยิงต้องโหด ให้เหมือนโกรธกันมาก่อน](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/OnTdfGySmds/mqdefault.jpg)
This video is a treasure. I was skeptical at first because like everyone else, but holy cow, this video is unreal in the amount of information you get.
This should be required for anyone to watch before buying a driver.
Thanks Adam!
What a deal, someone giving us a real honest answer. Thank you!
Hi Mort
Thank you for your comment. We always try to provide the most honest information as we can. keep watching and good luck with your game!
Exactly
I have had this same conversation about running shoes with people. The more expensive the shoe, the more bells and whistles it has: more material on the sole or last, more motion control, adjustable inserts, cushioning, traction design, breathability, reflective surfaces. The thing is, you may or may not need any of those features and the best shoe for you is the one that is the most comfortable and that bends naturally the same way your foot bends...typically, the "less" the shoe the better it is for you.
Thanks for the video, good information.
Thanks for the analogy and sharing! Hope you're playing great golf!
Clay, one more follow up to distance with drivers. After my lesson today at the PGA Tour Superstore near my home in Atlanta I went back to the practice bays to practice what I had learned. They are close to the used club racks. So I always pull two or three drivers to try. I was surprised to find the TaylorMade R9 460 sitting in the rack. After looking at it I realized it was the one I traded in several months ago when I bought my Cobra King F6 driver. I pulled it and a couple of Callaway Big Berthas and a used Taylormade M1 to hit. Normally, my F6 is consistently the longest but in the last week I have hit a Big Bertha V Series which is longer. I hit several balls with all the drivers and the R9 was right with them. In fact I hit my longest drive of the day with it. I was a little chagrined that I have been searching for distance with new drivers and I had a driver that I could hit long already. I just had to improve my ball striking through lessons and practice. I bought the club back for $74.99. Lesson Learned!
Dear Clay Ballard - I'm a retired teaching golf professional and I've been preaching the exact same thing you have said in this video. I have shown my students all my drivers, all of which are Orlimar tri-metal or Hip-Ti made in the mid 90's. I have not found anything BETTER in 25 years. The only thing that has changed is I upgrade the shaft. One more aspect you didn't touch on that is very important is that when you set the driver to the ball, the head must be visually pleasing. If the shape looks weird (like the elongated heads), then you won't have confidence to hit the ball well. The other thing is get the right grip size. I have used midsize tour wraps since the mid eighties, or four wraps on a regular grip. One last aspect to hitting the ball longer is "hit solid shots in the sweet spot." (Lee Trevino) Excellent video Clay!
Thanks for the comment and insights. I 100% agree. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Jack gave profound advice when it comes to distance, he said,"if you want to hit it farther, hit it better."
Haha...makes sense :-) Hope you're playing great! ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Probably the most honest golf review on TH-cam! Just bought a Wilson D300 driver from eBay for £73 (mint condition) after using the 3 Hybrid and D300 3 wood all with light shafts. I also bought an Adams Speedline driver (like driving with a canon) for £35 never been used , 4 years old unwanted gift ........... Clay you are so right, don’t waste you £’s and $’s ....... be resourceful, look around and stick with what you feeling comfortable with !!
Thanks Andy!
I use to sell golf equipment for many years and used the same approach as you explained in this video. Sometimes I actually lost the sale, but always gained the trust of my customers, and they always returned with their friends and family for their golf needs. I love your videos. Great job sir. Cheers from Canada.
Thanks Gerry!
Hi Clay,I am 88 years young, I like the way you explain a lot of the golf swings which a lot of instructors don't. George Cox
Thanks!
I bought a newer Taylormade driver a few years ago, and couldn't hit it as consistently or as long as the old Taylormade Burner I had used for many years. Within the past few years I purchased two more of the old used Burner drivers (from Global Golf). I use one in my Florida golf bag and one in my Connecticut golf bag, whenever I visit my family and friends. No noticeable drop off in my swing or game with either driver. But it saved me a ton of money, and I still outdrive people who are constantly updating their drivers to try to improve their swing. So your advice confirms what I learned by accident. Bottom line is, different strokes (and clubs) work best for different folks. But it is not always about the money spent.
Hi Billy, thanks for sharing. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Best teacher on earth. You never see a teacher to day telling the truth about equipment. The reason I love my Hogan Apex II's are they work perfectly for me. They are not as long as some of my other clubs but are consistent so therefore I play a much better game. P;ay what fits your swing. I say.
Hi Maurice, thank you so much for the kind words. I'll be sure to pass that along to Clay. I have hit some Hogan clubs in the past and always liked the way they felt. Play well ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Well said Maurice. And Hogans do play a club shorter. I have an old set of Edges that I love, but I give up that feel to hit modern irons longer. Never let outside opinions contradict what you know to be true in golf or otherwise.
Cheers!
Maurice Jones I
This was a very enlightening video. My driver finally caved in and I was wondering what to buy. I found your video at the right time. The Golf God must be smiling upon me.
Glad it was helpful!
This is one of the best videos I have seen thanks Clay.
Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I have played golf for years I now still play of 14 at 66 years old, and I must admit watching some of your videos has given me more insight to my game and clubs than I have ever found out before much appreciated
Thanks Robert!
I spent all last summer at the three giant golf stores in Orlando, golf galaxy, pga superstore and Edwin watts, looking for the longest driver I could find ,after 10 different drivers I found a new (old stock) Callaway X2. Now I’m clobbering drives almost 300 yds straight as a arrow, no hooks or slices. I’m thrilled. Best thing it was only $65, and I’m scoring in the high 70’s now. If I could only putt. Drive for show putt for dough. I won’t be in the money anytime soon. On the greens on par 5s usually in 2, then 4 putt the green. What a freakin hard game
Thanks for sharing!
I really like your honesty, clean, polite manner you talk, no cursing and no sarcasm. I wish there were more professional people like you.
Thanks!
I work at the largest U.S. retailer for golf equipment. Everything Clay said in this video is true.
Thanks Paul!
Your damn right Clay, I've had a G5 driver forever and recently changed to the G400 driver and hit it no farther.
My son uses the i15 driver and won't use anything else
I spent £65 on a driver from a second hand shop and I can hit It really well great video fella
Just getting back into golf after 10 years and have been thinking of new clubs. Thanks for the up front information on drivers. Something I always thought but now confirmed. When I used to play, and they're still in my bag my driver was a $100 knockoff Taylor Made R4 I think and Ben Hogan blades but I always out drove and scored better than my buddies and half the club in local tournaments lol. This will help lots for 2021. Club fitting in the future. Thanks 👍🇨🇦🇺🇸
Glad to help
I use a MacGregor v-foil, about 350cc driver with an 8 degree loft that I've had for 20 years and I will go up against any new club. but let's remember that club head speed and swing speed are not the same thing. If you do it right, you don't have to swing hard to generator very fast club head speed. I really like this video!
Thanks for sharing!
When trying out drivers, best approach is to not know the price tag up front.
+Galactorate That is definitely true!
word
Yeah, if you can afford it and it's very expensive, it's going to perform very well because of placebo. If you can't afford it, it's not, because you don't want to spend your money!
Very true........
The price drops a year later anyway. By then the hype is over and it's just not as attractive anymore!
Clay, I was hitting a Titleist 913 d2 (now 2 generations old) and it was going as far as my new driver. Great video! I have hit dozens of drivers at different golf shops (mostly at PGA Tour Superstore or Golfsmith) and for the most part they all go virtually the same distance. For me I find certain drivers I can get the club through the ball quicker and make more consistent contact.
Watched the entire video and I must say I'm glad that I found out about those key points. Thanks Clay, very useful video!
Golfholics Was
@My Nigga 8
My Nigga 8
Tell Claire to prove him wrong! 🤣🤣
I went to a seminar years ago about golf. They added; if you hit a demo driver great; take it and stow it in your car, then go in and pay for it. The one you buy that comes in the wrapping will NOT hit like the one your tried/demode.
Hi, thanks for sharing. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
So true! Thanks for preaching the truth. Been using my 2006 Titleist 905R for 14 years now. Nothing's wrong with it. Still pumping bombs out there.
My pleasure!
Clay,
Thank you for sharing this very helpful advice regarding finding and identifying the right golf clubs for you!
Expensive doesn't always equal better!!!
I just went through this process of finding the best driver. In the end it turned out that the driver I had in the bag once again felt the best...result hit it best. It's an inexpensive Callaway RAZR 10.5 50G shaft. r-flex. I have Ping irons so I might stack the G400 against it and see if I find any difference, I do like Ping.
This video is a eye opening comment on the golf industry and how they sell clubs.
Thanks for sharing!
Love the Honesty of Clay Ballard, will improve your game greatly!!
Thanks Fredy!
Thanks Clay. I have to concur and I’ve only just become knowledgeable on this. I bought a new set of clubs 2 years ago and part of the “marketing” was that I would be custom fitted. They apparently adjusted the lie angle of each club and shaft lengths to suit. Anyway, 2 years on, I decided to take them to a local club fitter who has been doing this for 40 years. He spine adjusted and Flat Line Oscillated my shafts and set swing weights at D2 for 4-9 and wedges at D4. I played last week and the difference was amazing. The “feel” is what has changed for me and my contact has been the best I’ve had in years. Placebo effect? No way. However, I did learn more. Part of this process was adjusting the lie angles, and luckily for me, that didn’t need doing and when they were examined, it was noted the specifications for my clubs were the same as standard for this manufacturer despite my more upright stance. Turns out the 4-7 irons are 17-4 stainless steel and 8-SW are 431. 17-4 is difficult to bend so it’s very, VERY, likely they were never custom fitted for me at all in the first place. So just BS marketing. My advice to anyone when you buy a new set is check what the stainless steel is and then spend a few more dollars and take them to a good club fitter and have them “properly” fitted; certainly don’t get conned by the sales and marketing at a golf shop. Ping make their irons from 17-4 SS, but they have different coloured dots to indicate the various lie angles of the clubs. No bending required. A lot to learn but it’s worth it. Cheers.
Thanks for sharing Craig!
My 20 year old KZG driver hits the ball just as far as my buddies Ping and Titleist. As a matter of fact, I hit all 3 during a round on the same hole and they all landed damn near the same distance. It was unreal. The KZG has a small club head as well.
Hi Dave, if you're driver is 20 years old then there is likely an advantage to getting something newer. Pretty much any driver made in the last 15 years is maxed out. You may have a little more club head speed then your buddies. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
He is totally right. No debate about it. Fun to play with different toys, but they do basically do the same. Use the same shaft and loft and try different Titleist drivers. I have tried this. Same same.
Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you
👍
Nice quote there billy
@@totallybaked5616 I guess you are totally baked, I’m quoting fromBILLY JOELS SONG HONESTY. Omg
Clay, this is great. I never buy the latest and greatest. I like my ping G10driver. Still goes 280yds. I caved in and purchased a Ping G400 LST used driver for $180. Goes far, and straight.
Same with irons.
Thank you so much for watching!
Thanks! Best driver shaft length for me (5'7"tall) is 1 inch shorter than standard length. If I do not shorten my clubs the toe of the head will be higher off the ground than the heel! All I want to do is hit the ball straight and be on the green with my second shot for par 4s and 5s.
Thanks for sharing!
Great, unbiased video!! Very informative. I am in the process of looking for a new driver, and this video is a big help. Thanks.
Thanks Eugene!
I didn't know some of this, and this guys videos are really good and he is actually rather easy to understand.
Glad you like them Denny! Play well!!
+Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard
I agree. Very easy to follow along . I am Just starting to get into playing golf. You guys would laugh at my clubs. $20 garage sale ,, with a Michelob bag. Lol.
Yes...I would laugh at those clubs. A good set, not a great set, but just kinda good is worth having and with today's used prices you can get a decent set for 100 dollars, but at least your playing the game and can get a good feel if you like it or not. Welcome to the game by the way and I hope 50 years from now you still be a fan.
+Denny Law
Thank you. Be amazing if im still alive in 50 years. But plan to stay at learning with the time allows
I believe this. Right before a winter golf vacation south, I bought an expensive Japanese driver that just didn't do the job on the course. When the ball come off the face it felt like hitting a clump of mud. I was upset for wasting my money so a guy in our 35 man group handed me an extra bargain barrel driver to play with. I immediately started pounding the ball longer than anyone in our vacationing group. My drives became the talk of the group. Since then I don't even bother picking a club by price or advertisement. I have to hit it first.
Excellent. I have a 9 year old driver that works well for me. I take it in every year and compare it on the meters with new stuff. No change... except in the price.
Thanks!
I love how much knowledge you present FOG. Digital charity, but charity nonehteless. THANKS!
Thanks!
I wish i had watched this in 2017. I had a cleveland sr290, decided i should have a talk to a local pro who convinced me to buy his wilson d300. 2 years later after lessons, im back to the sr290. My average drive was 180m now im bombing out to 245m (not everytime mind). The lessons made the difference not the club.
Thanks for sharing!
I got fitted at Ping in Gainsborough ,it has helped me hit consistent drives ,I love the process ,I love driving ,also my Ping irons .
Yeah, Ping makes really good stuff. I like how they won't come out with a new club unless it outperforms the last model. I don't think anyone else does that. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Th Tb uhhh in
Ping makes the best driver!
Played a department store driver for years and was very happy with it. Bought a Callaway Steel Head to replace it. First name brand club I owned. Cracked the face two months in to owning it. They replaced it with a different club. Was not happy with it.
Hi Larry, thanks for sharing. Sorry you had a bad experience. Not sure how long ago that was but those are very old clubs to this point. The older the club, the more likely it is to fail. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
The best lesson I had in choice of club happened when the head came off my driver. A friend was going to America and he brought me back a new driver shaft and he cut 1 1/2 inches off my old shaft. He put the new shaft on my driver and my old, shortened, shaft on my 5 wood. From that day on I could hit my 5 wood 10 to 20 yards further than the driver. Everyone has their own swing. My clubs were stolen a couple of years later but I truly regret not getting a set made around that 5 wood.
Hi, thanks for sharing. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
My pleasure. As with most amateurs I am as erratic as footsie. My present handicap is 22 and I average 4 to 6 pars a round. No consistency.
I also have played my ping i15 for 6 years bought it new and did not see a reason to change, but then I tried the Titleist D4 and my dispersion has improved and I shot my lowest round in years all due to ball striking. I'll keep you all posted if the honeymoon ends.
Follow up on my driver change: the Titleist D4 continue to perform better then my ping i15 by quite a margin, my handicap dropped to my lowest in many many years, I did pick up some distance but most importantly I found many more fairways this season allowing me to go pin hunting more often during my rounds. Furthermore my putting stats for this season remain constant to my last ten years so it was clear more fairway lower my scores.
Thats awesome man. Are you still playing the same driver? I just got serious about golf earlier this year and used Clays Videos to literally build a golf swing from the ground up. I updated all my equipment also. I know it sounds crazy (im sure the swing has more to do with it) but i couldnt hit my old RBZ stage 1 driver to save my life so i bought a 2017 M2. The biggest reason is most of my miss hits were off the heel and the M2 seemed to have a larger face. Now i rarely miss hit it off the heel. I had the best round of my life last weekend by FAR. I found the fairways and was able to really feel like i was in control of my game for the first time in my life. Ive learned so much from TSG its crazy!
One time recently I was comparing a cheap driver to a more expensive one and kept going back and forth hitting 5 balls with each one. Towards the end of the test I decided I like the more expensive one better, but to my surprise, I had them "backwards". I actually preferred the cheaper one (which I thought was the more expensive one). I might go back and see if I can hit a 46" (3.5m) or even a 48" (4 ft) driver just for fun.
Also, amateurs can get a driver with a "hotter" face such as 0.87 COR. It might help put a little more fun in the game for them, especially if they have a slow swing speed.
Hi David, thanks for sharing. Yeah, I say play as long of a driver as you can control. You have to have some higher club head speed to use the longer ones in my experience. Sure, you can shave down the face to get more distance. I have seen services that do that. You won't be able to play in any tournaments where you have to abide by the rules. Your club will also be more likely to break. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I realize this clip is 7 years old, but I work in a big golf store in Toronto and I have spew what clay just said about 10 times a day...lol. As mentioned, this clip is 7 years old but it still holds up to the current times. Just like clay said, the one thing that has gotten better is if you miss the sweet spot, the clubs have gotten better at letting you get to that .83 COR but other then that, the manufactures will continue great ways to market stuff but the club heads are capped for the most part when it comes to distance.
Thanks for your information! Take care!
I've been thinking this for a while, good of you to clear that up. My old Cleveland Launcher 460 Comp goes further than my much newer R15 Driver.
Thanks for sharing!
I agree with the feel of the club bit, I tried the new Titleist, both driver and irons and struggled with the feel of the swing and impact. Same with the new Taylormade, I ended up with a used XXIO driver 45g shaft and new set of Srixon Z785 irons, both feel great, and yes I did get more distance out of the used XXIO.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Clay for your insight into the driver differences. Also enjoy your videos and teachings in your Top Speed Golf program. You are one of the few instructors that I can take what you say and show to the range and course, then make improvements in my game. Thanks.
Great information! This guy knows what he is talking about!
This is most useful video for golf newbie like me.. many people suggest me to buy new clubs because they think that mine is out dated.
I always thought that all the DRIVERS regardless of brand are built the same. I guess...I was right!! This is why I still have the same Driver from 10 years ago and it's still performs flawlessly.
Hi, that's actually not true. They are all built differently but are maxed as far as how hot the center of the face is. The CG is moved around on drivers to improve spin numbers. They also try to increase the MOI to make the driver more forgiving across the face. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Tip: a driving range is to grove your swing. Use your OLD set to practice. Save the faces and grips for the course. Do you really want to beat up you're driver's titanium face on range rocks?
Great tip if you have the luxury! Thanks for sharing. Hope you're playing great!
I hit off the cart path if I have to with my clubs. *shrug*
excellent point about max COR. Max COR was achieved more than ten years ago so if a manufacturer tells you they have the "hottest" driver ever they maybe correct but it will also be illegal . So STOP paying these bandits for equipment that maxed out ten years ago
I went to one of the large, nationwide golf shops about a year ago to get fit for a new driver. I brought my current driver to see how it compared, Taylormade Burner 2.0. They could not find a driver that I hit farther than what I already had. I hit my 3 wood off the tee mostly, 220 yards right down the middle works pretty well from the white tees.
Hi John, thanks for sharing. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
One more comment in support. I have an old Taylor Made Super-Fast Burner driver (about 5yrs old now) with a Proforce 65gm Shaft & hit it anywhere from 250 to 280M (& a couple over 300M). Tried out the new Mizuno JPX900 the other day & barely made 210yards with over 3200rpm spin - hopeless. I believe it's the shaft that has the greater impact on performance than the head by a long way.
Bogie golfers only: play your home course with irons only and see what you shoot. If your 3 iron flies 25 yards longer than your 5 iron, but is always off the fairway, toss it....tee off with the 5. Play the course to your best wedge or 9 iron distance. Great how each round your score drops.
Hi, thanks for the comment. Hope you're playing well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
By watching this I realized something about my swing!! Not going to try to explain! Just Thank You 🙏
Clay has done us all a favour. Good honest informative video👍
Thanks!
Agree with your comments about shaft weight and swing speed. What about shaft flex for low vs high swing speed players?
The only way to know what is right for you is to get professional fitted. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
As I improve, I'm appreciating the value of getting fitted. But I still have a ways to go before I am even missing consistently. Very good video.
Thanks!
Great info... circa '15. In '17 manufacturers have figured a way for the driver face to pass the legality test when made, but will produce more "spring effect" when hitting a golf gall. Example 1? The Callaway Epic. That club will produce a "smash factor" of greater than 1.5:1 which is the PGA limitation on drivers. (100mph club speed = 150mph ball speed) How? The face is supported by two vertical "rods" behind the club face that will allow the face/crown to deform must enough impact with a real ball to produce a higher impact ball speed. BTW - Golf makers only test a "representative sample" and are allowed a 2% margin of error for legality so some clubs coming off a line are definitely hotter while most are a few percentage points below the edge of legal. Tour guys have clubs tested to be right on the edge of legal. The sticks demo'd at the January PGA Show in Orlando in January are "rumored" to be hand picked, too. If you hit a driver great at a demo day, buy THAT specific club. DO NOT let the rep or local club guy order you one of supposed same "specs". Take the demo home with you when you leave. Well worth your effort.
Hi, thank you for sharing. Play well ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Consistency of drive is crucial. I agree with you 100%. I would much rather play with my 260 yd drive in the middle 90% of the time than that 300 yder I have to play from the first fringe over half the time. 12 handicapper ....64 yrs old here.
Hi Eddie, thanks for sharing. I think I would take the 40 yards though. I'm going to hit more greens with my PW than I will 5 or 6 iron. Even if the PW shot is from the first fringe. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Right on. I have a garage full of drivers. I’ve been trying to buy a better driver for years. The last two was a $500 Epic and a $400 Mizuno. Both are stored in the garage. Last few months I’ve been using an old Taylormade Burner. No more high dollar drivers for me. Thanks for the video.
My pleasure!
G410 was released 2 years ago and there is one in his hand I’m the thumbnail when this was made 5 years ago. Clay Ballard is a time traveller spread the word!
haha
Went from Callaway to Cobra, and have stayed with Cobra for several years now. I've tried (at the pro-shop) all of the top brands, and couldn't launch the balls well enough with any of the drivers until he put the Cobra in my hands. The right fit is important. I'm a woman and hated purchasing pink, purple, lime green, and orange, but the driver I use now is pink..., yet I smash the ball out there, even though it's loft is a whopping 15 degrees. That's too much for most of the ladies, who have asked to try it, but I believe they're also used to teeing up way too high. (at least twice as much as I do) . I keep my ball only about an inch off the ground, ball right off the leading foot, and use the proper lag swing he showed in the video. I haven't been doing that with my irons, and usually come up short on the approach. Thank you, thank you for this video. Can't wait to get out on the range and work on improving my iron shots.
HI Cristie, thanks for sharing. Hop you are playing great! ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Bubba Watson uses a pink drive. Color has nothing to do with the golf swing.
My ping G driver (4 years old) is out performing my brothers new PXG 0211 driver when I used them both for 3 rounds,same flex and loft
Cool. What about right side lardosis? aka right lateral bend. Or the right elbow on transition from top to downswing, should be first to be in front of chest? This naturally causes more lag. The "tiger squat" also helps in more lag.
For more micro details on gaining club head speed, better launch angle, less spin, try reading Kelvin Miyahira's articles. I've gained 75 yards converting micro moves to distance gainers.
Great advice Clay cheers . Your defo one o the best on TH-cam , if not THE best
Wow, thanks
Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard ......... but I’d rather take Paige Spiranac out for dinner . Seriously her video’s are great too
Great advice I like a driver with a shaft length no longer than 45' ideally 44.5 ' get more control and accuracy.
Hi, thanks for sharing. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
I got a full bag fitting minus the putter in 2020 so I am set for the next 10-15 years possibly. Yeah, golf clubs have reached the limit since 2015 unless they change the rules.
Nice 👍
While it's true that YOU are one of my favorite golf instructors posting videos. you might want to tell your viewers to MEASURE their swing speed with a driver, BEFORE going to a lighter shaft for more speed. The reason I say this is because a lighter shaft is NOT always going to mean higher swing speeds. When I was fitted for a driver I had a full fitting and the recommended shaft for me was a 75 grams model, heavier than what I was playing at the time. Like a lot of other golfers I had seen the reports that a lighter shaft would mean more speed and more distance with the driver. So I built a new driver with a 55 gram shaft, which is lighter than the 65 gram shaft in my then current driver. When the fitting recommended a 75 grams shaft for my new driver, I was concerned about losing clubhead speed and distance if I went with the heaver 75 grams shaft. So I went out to my car and got both my 55 grams and my 65 grams drivers so I could hit them both on the launch monitor at the fitters shop and compare my swing speeds with the 75 grams shaft driver that the shop assembled for me to try-out. With the 75 grams shaft my swing speed was measured at 105 MPH, which is what I expected going by my own testing with a Swing Speed Radar unit I have. So we measured my swing speed with both the 55 and the 65 grams shaft drivers and got the EXACT same speed, 105 MPH. ZERO lose of speed with the heavier weight shaft. So much for what the big OEM's were saying about the lighter shafts they were installing in all of their off the shelf drivers they were pushing on the average golfers of the day.
I have measured other golfers since that day and have had similar results with a lot of golfers. One good golfer who was in his mid 20's and had played college golf actually GARINED speed swinging a heaver shaft driver over his current driver. He went from 110 with a 52 grams shaft in his driver to 113 when he hit my 65 grams shaft driver and then up to a impressive 118 MPH when he hit my 77 grams shaft driver. He gained 8 MPH going from his 52 grams shaft driver to my 78 grams driver. Instead of losing speed, he gained speed.
To this day, at 73 years of age, I still play a driver shaft in the 75 grams range. I highly recommend that ALL golfers get measured on a good launch monitor to see what weight shaft is best for them. And do NOT go by FEEL. Go by performance, not feel. The reason I say this is that a a lighter or heavier shaft in a driver WILL feel different and you may or may not like that feel. But if it performed better for you, and you go with that weight shaft, you WILL over a very short period of time, get USED to that feel and then it will feel normal if not better than your old driver shaft. Bottom line is that a lighter shaft does NOT mean more speed and distance for ALL golfers. Get tested on a launch monitor before you decide what is best for YOU.
Thanks for sharing!
The best feeling driver I ever felt was a XXIO gold and blue, $799 it was so light I could barely even tell I was holding it . it was amazing
Thanks for sharing!
thank you - nicely explained. i used a nike drive for years - so sad when it finally wore out as i could not find a good used one and the newer models just weren't working for me. finally i found a callaway that somewhat worked and used that for a couple years and then i got caught up in the hype - that was a budget buster - now i am back to an older model club by ping i like and am now trying to find the shaft that works best for me as my swing speed is changing as i age. i have a club fitting appointment soon and am going to try several clubs, and now that the hype doesn't matter to me, i hopefully should be able to walk away with something i can use for years.
Hi Ken, that's great! Thank you so much for sharing. I hope you find what works best for you. Best of luck! Play well ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Ken B e
good video clay. so far you and Mark crossfield are the only two youtubers I've seen go over this
+Justin Adams Thanks Justin. Hope your playing great! ~Clay
Spin. Spin is what costs most golfers distance. Whether its steep impact and back spin. Or face/path side spin. Back/side is a killer, top arguably helps. A power fade for example, is side spin inside out, and top spin. it goes much longer than the exact same numbers and back spin. Because the spin is redirecting the ball down into a boring flight.
The number one golf tip I ever received from a pro was: Stop buying spin balls like pro v1's. Play a firmer ball that will have less spin off the flat clubs. My swing speed is still (at 46) just over 120. I still use a firmer ball with less spin. Although of all the prof/spin/touch balls the best in my opinion is the TP5x, but I prefer a cheap firm ball if I am looking at the full round, and not just trying to spin it close.
I lost strokes occasionally bouncing off a hard green, but lose very little distance when I hit a steep shot. And I lose far fewer balls off the course to the errant slice.
I challenge any of you to use a less spinny ball against your prov1, and mark down the distance left and right and distance between each ball.
You will be shocked how much straighter you hit the ball with a firmer, less spin golf ball. You will also lose a few off the back of the green. Until you start playing the front 3rd.
The exception is the ultra slow golf swing that needs the back spin to get up in the air.
It appears sometime in the recent past a 'distance' ball went from being ultra 'hard' to ultra soft. So the slower swing guys can hit it further. When you drop two golf balls on the same surface, the one with the higher pitch sound is firmer. I played the Pinnacle Straight Distance while doing long drive contests and that ball played amazing off the tee, and mediocre off the fairway and onto greens. But my handicap with that ball was 3 strokes lower. I was about a 5 with a Prov. And about a 1.5 to 2 with a pinnacle. Simply because a prov or TP would go errant due to spin once or twice a round. And at the time money was an issue, so a prov costing $6 a ball vs a pinnacles $80 gave me less anxiety.
Test it and lets debate!
Hi, thanks for sharing. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Have Walter Hagen 10 deg driverhad it for years still hit it 220 yrs at 73 not going to change
Hi Chuck, thanks for sharing. Hope you're playing great! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Have the same club with the green shaft don't remember the name but was told by serial people it's a very good shaft still drive it 200-230 yards an I am also 73 years old
Excellent, I always enjoy your approach Clay. Your no nonsense approach with candid honesty is exactly what armatures need to really understand how to improve.
From 30 years of playing I would also add that sometimes you need to consider a heavier shaft to stop trying to swing driver too fast - a killer of good golf shots. Also to get right driver set up you need to look at what your bread and butter tee shot looks like eg high fade or low draw. Incidentally I am still using a Burner driver from about 2006 and have wasted my time testing other very expensive clubs to find out they did not hit the ball any further at all - like Clay says its limited by the rules. I would be tempted to add an inch to the shaft length one of these days though!
Hi MJ, all very good points and thank you for sharing. I actually use a heavier shaft because it gives me more control and there really wasn't much difference in club head speed compared to a lighter one. Hope you're playing great! ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
This makes me feel even better about buying a used PING G25, STIFF, 10.5 for $120 for myself for Christmas! ;)
Very true , i need a very heavy shaft to have my timing ! The shaft to me is more important than the head , i have a taylormade m3 I bought on discount but i don't like the light shaft , I'll just need to put a hazardus 76 g on it and I'll be good for the years to come 😛
I love the depth you go into as far as the numbers and physics of a club/swing. Instant sub.
Awesome information. Thanks Clay. I use a driver that I bought for 49 bucks , out of the discount barrel. It ain't the arrow...it's the Indian.
Mr. Ballard, with the utmost respect for you and your excellent videos. I wish I could take in-person lessons with you.
Clay you have just got a new sub great content! With honesty!
I appreciate that!
Not a whole lot of people speak the truth like that. Many thanks!
Al true Clay, but I also think ball selection is a key. I spent some time trying different balls and finally settled on a ball that gave me 10-15 + metres to my driver, this was after the tips I got from your videos, still my mates spend far to much and have made no major improvement
Good stuff! Glad to help.
I love this guys honesty!
Thanks!
Picked up a TaylorMade R15 for $86 on ebay, it's in the bag and plays great, especially when pair with Mizuno balls. Confidence on the tee cannot be bought!
Awesome! Play well!
Thank you for your honesty! very much appreciated . . .!!!
My pleasure!
Thanks for the great advice!makes me feel alot better being a new golfer
Happy to help!
Superb article. Great explanation. I am looking for a new driver and will follow this advice.
This all makes perfect sense and I agree. Problem for me is, how do find that "right driver"?
Hi Edward, I believe in love at first sight with the driver. You want to love it on that very first swing. You can always get fitted too. Let me know if you have any further questions. Play well ~ Quentin | TSG Instructor
Great advice. I play with members who get fitted every few months and never get a shot better...as they don't practice the short game. A TM guy told me the only ways to hit it further is better technique and softer shafts.
Thanks Jean! Glad you liked the video. The best way to hit it further is to increase your club head speed. If you have been fitted for a driver made in the last 12 years then it's already maxed out and you likely won't hit anything else much further. You can certainly pick up some yards by getting a good fitting. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Longer club and more swing speed only happens up to a certain length. If you get too long of club you add weight and its physically harder to swing a club that is long
Thanks for sharing!
G'day Clay, I actually had all my clubs shortened 1/4", driver as well. I hit the ball longer & straighter than before. Irons are 4º upright, & driver & 3W set to a upright position or setting, so I'm a very upright player.My hands are also almost on the swing plane. So what's happened. Well I imagine I am making better contact, as I think contact is more important for long straight shots than anything else. Sometimes going longer in the shaft may actually not help your distance, though you pull off a couple of good ones. My driver average was about 280-285m, & now 290-295, & very often over 300m. I use the Titleist 910 driver & 913 3wood, mostly because of the feel & sound I get from these woods. They were not know for their distance, more the sound & feel. I also feel that sound & feel is more important than all the other babel the companies com out with. These Titleist woods always gave me feedback, & told me that my game was off or on. So for me this more important. What can I say, I hate those pingy sounding clubs as well.
I also hold the club 1 pinky width below the top of the grip. This is just a good personal feel for me, but it also feels more secure in my hand. I know you point out gripping at the top of the grip will help produce more lag, but I actually find myself producing more lag gripping 1 pinky below the top of the grip, & videos of my swing have shown me this. Maybe my hands are more relaxed & limber as I feel the club is more secure in my hands in this position, maybe it's mental thing that allows me to swing more relaxed, whatever works. I often see my other social golf group players, saying to me i am hitting even longer than before, & now straighter. I actually tell my golfing friends to grip slightly shorter than normal, maybe 5mm below the Doulble line you see on golf grips. I think most of them can't handle these long shafts, & get better control gripping slightly down. I now see them striking the ball better & cleaner. I have gone from a handicap 11 to 7 in less than 3months, & I'm still heading down. I am taking out 450m+ par 5's with a second shot 3 iron, & I'm doing more often. Anyway just some thoughts(or a lot of thoughts, I love the game), & I very much enjoy your vids & info, thanks cheers Craig, Mallorca, Spain
Good advice. Faldo also said he could pick a good club with one swing.
Thanks Andy!
Actually, the inside of a propeller is spinning at the same rate as the outside of the propeller. However, the angular velocity at the outside of the propeller is faster than the inside.
Additionally, the longer the club, the slower you will be able to swing it.
The distribution of the driver head weight is to maintain the weight but change the Moment of Innertia (MOI) for forgiveness on miss shots.
You're exactly right Emil. Thanks for sharing. Longer club doesn't always mean more club head speed. You have to find that happy medium...a length you can handle and swing fast. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor
Mr Emil, you have the basic physics backwards. All points on a rotating disc or propeller are spinning at the same angular velocity. Points along a radius line (i.e. propeller blade) of a rotating disc are at different linear velocities.
Thanks for the awesome video, i play with a 2008 Burner tour and i cant find a newer driver that i can hit as consistently or as far.
steven brandon same here man, love my tour burner!
I used to and probably hit new one at least 20 yds longer than that ancient stuff
Best information ever. Practical and for real.
Thanks Jeff!
Best information I’ve ever received and I thank you.